Being arrested is nerve-wracking, to say the least. Then there’s court dates, court costs, fines, lawyers, and possibly jail. However, it’s possible to bail yourself out of jail in Los Angeles. Read on to learn more about bail and how to do it.
What Is Bail?
Bail is the amount of money someone must pay the courts in order to be free from jail pending their court date. It isn’t meant as punishment. Instead, bail works as a deterrent to ensure that the defendant shows up for court at the appointed date and time. When you pay the full amount of bail to the court, also known as a cash bond, you get the money back after the trial as long as the defendant showed up.
Bail in Los Angeles can be expensive. That’s why people usually work with a Los Angeles bail bondsman to get people out of jail. The fee for working with a bail bondsman is much less than the full amount of bail. However, this fee is non-refundable, unlike cash bail paid to the court clerk. It is, however, far more affordable.
How Is Bail Determined?
There’s already an established list of bail amounts known as the Los Angeles County Bail Schedule. It sets the bail amounts for crimes so that people don’t always need to see a judge before posting their bail. It depends on the case, though. Some people will need to see a judge first.
How to Bail Yourself Out of Los Angeles Jail
Cash is crucial when it comes to bailing yourself out of jail. If you have the full amount of bail in cash, you can pay it to the court clerk and bail yourself out. If you don’t have all of it, you can borrow the rest from a friend or family member.
You can also ask a judge for leniency. If you don’t have the money for bail, in some cases a judge will release you on your own recognizance provided you promise to return to court at the appointed dates and times.
Finally, if you can’t pay your own bail or get a judge to reduce/eliminate it, you can call a Los Angeles bail bondsman to help you out. We can post bail any time of day or night, including weekends and holidays.
